This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

On Wednesday, Gov. Mitt Romney spoke to his big donors: "The president's campaign focused on giving targeted groups a big gift. … You can imagine for somebody making $25,000 or $30,000 or $35,000 a year, being told you're now going to get free health care, particularly if you don't have it … I mean, this is huge."

Romney is right, the Affordable Care Act was a "big f-ing deal" (to quote Vice President Joe Biden). It gives struggling American families needed help in a fundamental area.

President Barack Obama's motivation was compassion, not vote-buying. Clearly, Romney would rather let a family making $30,000 a year go without health care than readjust our grossly inefficient system to help them to afford it. And this from a governor who did exactly that in his own state!

Silly me. I thought life was an unalienable right, and that to secure that right, governments are instituted. Health care is by, of and especially for, the people.

Romney's recent comments to his wealthy buds show that he's just for "liberty and justice" for those who can afford it. Boy! We sure dodged that bullet on Nov. 6.